Case molds



April 25 1960 G. r. MoRsE 2,934,399

CASE: uoLDs Filed pril 25. 195s IN V EN TOR.

fafae-ZMasf- United States Patent O CASE Moms George T. Morse, Metnehen, NJ. Application spin as, 195s, set-u1 No. sso,sss s claim. (ci. 1s41) The present invention relates to ceramics and more i particularly to case molds and their production.

In the casting process of duplicating objects of ceramic materials, a plaster of Paris working mold, made in sections, is filled with slip. As the mold absorbs the water in the slip a ilm of ceramic material is deposited on the sides of the'mold. The mold is then carefully stripped E.

Since time is required for the working mold to absorb the water from the slip and then be dried in turn, mass production of duplicated objects requires the production of a large number of working molds.

Heretofore, these working molds are made in duplicate by heavily coating the master positive or case mold with a soap sizing for each working mold made over it. The case mold is generally made almost entirely from gypsum plaster or cement. Such case molds suffer due to the settingv expansion of the gypsum plaster cast over it. This shortens the life of the case mold, particularly when the case mold carries sharp edges, line detail and little draft.

A primary object of this invention is to provide for improved casting of ceramic objects.

Another object of, this invention is to provide an improved case mold for the production of working molds.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a durable case mold which will not deform or distort.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an ,improved case mold requiring little or no soap According to the present invention there is provided a built-up thermal-setting formulated resin master positive or case mold with a backing of low expansion gypsum cement or a dimensionally stable resinaggregate cement which will hold the resin formulated face rigid without distortion or warpage. The case mold may have a ock to secure a good bond between the mold and its backing.

Other and incidental objects of this invention will become apparent after a reading of the following specilication when considered with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates in section a master negative or block mold;

Figure 2 shows the built-up section of the case mold in the master negative or block mold;

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2 Ihisisueeessarysincetheworkingmoldisthe mold into which the ceramic composition or slip is poured. Ihe porous workingmold absorbs water from the slip forming a leather-hard coating of clay around the interior of the mold to form the shape of the original object.

In making the master negative or block mold 1.1 the object l0 is coated with a soft soap solution which is allowed to dry. The object to be duplicatedl is then properly boxed. Plaster-of-Paris is then formed about themaster lbwithadividertoformsectionsofthe master negative mold 11. In the drawing a single section lis shown for the purpose of explanation.

Figure 2 shows the master negative mold 1l removed from the object or master mold 10. Sides 13 with key ways are set up at the ends of the master negative mold 1l. Dams `12 are then fastened against the sides 13.b Ihe sides 13 may be made from pre-set gypsum sla s.

The inside of the master negative mold 11 is then coated with a soft soap solution 14, as is commonly used on molds in the ceramics industry. The soap solu tion 14 is allowed to dry. A thin vapor barrier coating 15 such as polyvinyl chloride is next brushed or sprayed on the active surface of the master negative mold 11. After the vapor barrier coating 15 has dried, a Septante tor 116 such as a coat of polyvinyl alcohol is brushed or sprayed on the vapor barrier coating 15 and allowed to dry. Silicon oil or grease or some stearates in solution may be used as the separator 16.

Next, an epoxy or similar thermo-setting resin 17 containing some ock 18 is prepared with the proper amount of curative hardeningagent and applied to the entire surface with a brush. Flock 18 may for example be chopped ber glass. Care must be taken to eliminate all air bubbles. When this coat has hardened a light brush bond coat is applied and this is followed immediately by the finish or build-up coat to obtain the desired thickness of the resin form which may be l" to '/4" thick. The build-up coat is prepared by adding about 20% of short fiber such as i6" chopped ber glass or other fibrous strands to the epoxy or similar thermosetting resin to which has been added the proper amount of curing agent.

I'hemixtureistampedwellntoallangularspotsand well into the thin bond coat. As the desired thickness is obtained the liber or strands 18 are allowed to stand at angles to the surface, this being the key or bond to the gypsum cement or other cementitious backing 19.

After the built-up coat has hardened a slurry of lowexpanding gypsum cement 19 is poured into the form and allowed to set.

In one form of the invention a coating of thermo setting resin without the tlock is tlrst applied to the separator 16 in order to insure a smooth working surface.

Figure 3 illustrates the case mold after the case mold I backing has been applied; and

Figure 4 shows the case mold in position to enable the production of working molds.

I'hroughout the various lgures of the drawing, the

same numeral will be employed to designate the same 6 element.

Turning now in detail to Figure 1 there is shown at 10 an object to be duplica-ted or a ceramic mold thereof. A section or one half of the master negative or block mold is shown at 11. The master negative or block mold 11 must be duplicated to form a number of working molds when a number of copies of the object are re- In one form of the invention fibers, generally of the type used in the ock 18 may be sprinkled on or otherwise applied to the surface of the epoxy 17 before the epoxy cures in such a manner that the bers extend into theepoxy llwhenithassetaudalsoextendfmmthe epoxy 17.

Figure 4 shows the completed case mold in position to pour a section of the working mold. Sides 13 are in place. The surface 20 is impervious to moisture, glassy 5 and needs little or no separating compound to release the poured plaster working mold.

As an alternate to the short glass fiber used as ock 18, woven glass cloth or other continuous weave material may be usedas reinforcing, where irregular sur- 0 faces or corners are not encountered. This will eliminate much of the mixing of resin and short liber. The glass clothcanbelaidontheresinsurfaceandsuccessve com of ma and non ma on in stamm ma was ms, there is employed a cementitious backing composed of thermo setting resin with the proper'proport-ion of curing agent. To this is added a sized aggregate filler of a metallic or non-metallic nature. Such aggregate is added to the resin cure mix to the extent that the cement formed maintains sutlcient fluidity to conform to the contour of the prime lay-up coat. .Iwpricedaggregatessuchasgroundlime stone, trap rock, silicate sand feldspars and the like may be used. As an example sand, number 20-30 can be added to the resin-mix in a ratio of 4 pounds of sand to 1 pound of the resin-cured mix.

A ease mold made in accordance with the teachings of this invention will have no setting expansion, and therefore will not deform or distort. The case mold will have high tensile strength and compressive strength and therefore will not be affected by the expansion of the setting gypsum plaster formed over it. l The case mold will be highly impervious, and will have a glass like surface and therefore will require little or no soap sizing, thereby eliminatinga costly op eration and one which causes build-up on the surface of the case mold to destroy its relief and usefulness, It willbe easily cleaned as its impervious surface will also stand washing without eroding ne detail.

1. The method of forming a case mold comprising the steps of making a master negative mold from an obecttobednplieated,coatingtheaetivesurfaceofthe master negative mold with a soft soap solution to dry,

vapplying a vapor barrier coating over the dried soft soap solution, applying a separator layer to said vapor coating, applying a mixture of resin and dock to said separator layer, adding ock to the surface of said mixture layer before said mixture has set to form a build up, and backing the build-up with a cement composition.

2. The method of forming a case mold comprising the steps of making a master negative mold from an object to be duplicated, coating the surface of the master negative mold with a soft soap solution, allowing the soft soap solution to dry, applying a vapor barrier coating over the soft soap solution, applying a separator layer to said vapor barrier coating, applying a resin to said separator layer, applying a mixture ofresinand ock to said resin, adding flock to the surface of said mixture layer before said-.mixture has set; and applying a' cement composition to the flock.

3. The method of forming a case mold comprising the steps of making a master negative mold from an object tobe duplicated, coating the active surface of 'the master negative mold with a sealer, applying a vapor barrier over the sealer, applying a separator to said vapor barrier, applying a thermo-setting resin to said va por barrier, applying a flock to said-thermosetting resin and backing the resin and ock with a low expanding cementitious compound.

References Cited in the le ofthis patent UNrrBD 's'ra'rns PATENTS 2.846.142V wagner Aug.-12. s 

1. THE METHOD OF FORMING A CASE MOLD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF MAKING A MASTER NEGATIVE MOLD FROM AN OBJECT TO BE DUPLICATED, COATING THE ACTIVE SURFACE OF THE MASTER NEGATIVE MOLD WITH A SOFT SOAP SOLUTION TO DRY, APPLYING A VAPOR BARRIER COATING OVER THE DRIED SOFT SOAP SOLUTION, APPLYING A SEPARATOR LAYER TO SAID VAPOR BARRIER COATING, APPLYING A MIXTURE OF RESIN AND FLOCK TO SAID SEPARATOR LAYER, ADDSING FLOCK TO THE SURFACE OF SAID MIXTURE LAYER BEFORE SAID MIXTURE HAS SET TO FORM A BUILD UP, AND BACKING THE BUILD-UP WITH A CEMENT COMPOSITION. 